Filipino fishing boat captain Arnel Lepalam made the difficult decision to head home after days of harassment by the China Coast Guard (CCG) in waters where Filipinos have the right to fish.

Lepalam, like many Filipino fishermen, depends on these waters to support his family. Although he has the legal right to fish there, the CCG repeatedly blocked his attempts, leaving him — and many others — questioning their future and safety in their own seas.

In a handwritten affidavit provided by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on November 12, Lepalam recounted days of intimidation from multiple CCG vessels in the West Philippine Sea. His account offered a firsthand look at the harrowing encounters Filipino fisherfolk faced while trying to earn a living in contested waters.

West Philippine Sea is the official designation by the government of the Philippines to the parts of the South China Sea that are included in the country’s exclusive economic zone.

The fisherman from Quezon, a quiet fishing town on Palawan’s west coast which faces the West Philippine Sea, detailed how his boat, FFB Hadassah, tried twice to enter Escoda Shoal (Sabina Shoal) on October 8 and October 17, only to be blocked by CCG personnel each time. 

His crew departed from Quezon town on October 8 at 1.30 pm (local time), heading toward Escoda Shoal, but their journey took a tense turn.

Lepalam recalled spotting CCG personnel about eight nautical miles from Abad Santos (Bombay) Shoal, between the Palawan mainland and Escoda Shoal. Early the next morning, as they neared 26 nautical miles east of Escoda Shoal, a CCG ship with hull number 4108 approached them.

Two hours later, the CCG vessel left, only to be replaced by another ship, hull number 5203, which launched a speedboat and approached Lepalam’s boat.

“We were blocked. The big CCG vessel flashed a bright light on us before they honked. When the morning came, they were still blocking us,” Lepalam said in his affidavit written in Filipino.

“At around 6:10 in the morning, the two CCG speedboats sailed alongside us and told us that we could not enter Sabina Shoal. They rammed our boat and forced us out of the shoal,” Lepalam recounted. “They used loud horns and sirens against us. This scared us, so we decided to head back to Bombay Shoal.”

Lepalam’s story, unfortunately, is not unique. In recent years, Filipino fisherfolk have reported similar instances of CCG personnel driving them away from fishing grounds in the West Philippine Sea, which includes the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ). 

This conflict highlighted a larger issue: China’s expansive claims over these waters and the harassment of Filipino fishers trying to make a living.

After over eight days of repeated intimidation from various CCG ships at Escoda Shoal, Bombay Shoal, and Rozul Reef, Lepalam finally decided to turn back home on October 17.

In his affidavit, Lepalam explained that his crew had originally planned to fish at Escoda Shoal. However, as they sailed eight nautical miles north of Bombay Shoal, a CCG vessel began trailing them.

Despite moving away, CCG ship 5203 and its speedboats continued to tail Lepalam’s boat, only ending their pursuit late on October 9. Determined not to waste their investment in fuel and supplies, Lepalam and his crew headed to Rozul Reef to fish.

At Rozul, they fished peacefully from October 10 to 17 before deciding to try their luck at Escoda Shoal again. On the way to Escoda, they noticed a gray ship with bow number 629, three nautical miles away. Typically associated with navies, these gray ships pose an ominous sight for fishers.

Soon after, a CCG ship with bow number 4103 approached and began tailing them as they neared Escoda Shoal. About 15 nautical miles from the shoal, the CCG vessel blew its horns and issued orders.

“We heard them say, ‘Filipino fishing boat, you are not allowed to enter’,” Lepalam wrote in his affidavit, recalling the CCG’s intimidation and harassment as they tried to fish in the West Philippine Sea.

Ultimately, Lepalam’s crew could not fish at Escoda Shoal, as approximately 15 CCG vessels blocked their path. He also noted the absence of any Philippine vessels nearby during this incident.

“Out of fear, we decided to leave and return to Quezon, Palawan,” he said.

Growing concern over harassment

In a Viber message, PCG spokesperson Commodore Jay Tarriela confirmed that the fisherfolk themselves initially provided videos of the harassment to local media in Palawan.

“In response, the PCG quickly located the fishermen to conduct an investigation and requested them to submit an affidavit, as well as to corroborate these incidents with other Filipino fishermen who may have witnessed the harassment. This step is crucial for the PCG to formally submit an incident report to the National Task Force for West Philippine Sea (NTFWPS) and for other relevant agencies to take appropriate action,” Tarriela said.

Due to limited catches in municipal waters, Filipino fisherfolk are compelled to venture farther out to sea. When they encounter harassment — like Lepalam and his crew did — they seek alternative fishing grounds, hoping no CCG vessels will be present.

Sabina Shoal and Rozul Reef are significant features in the West Philippine Sea. Sabina Shoal, which the Philippines calls Escoda Shoal, is located 75 nautical miles (about 140 kilometers) off Palawan, falls well within the Philippines’ 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. It became a flashpoint towards the end of the PCG’s BRP Teresa Magbanua deployment in those waters. 

Earlier this year, BRP Magbanua was deployed to Escoda Shoal to monitor alleged Chinese reclamation activities but was pulled out in September for crew medical needs and repairs.

Rozul Reef, meanwhile, lies at the southernmost part of Recto Bank, an area believed to contain significant deposits of oil, gas, and other minerals.

Philippine military investigates 

Following the recent incidents, Vice Admiral Alfonso Torres, Jr, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines Western Command, said the military would investigate. 

Torres assured that authorities would conduct further investigation and coordinate with law enforcement agencies for appropriate action. He also confirmed a 24/7 presence in the West Philippine Sea and noted that they would address incidents like these accordingly.

On November 10, China summoned the Philippines’ ambassador to protest Manila’s new laws asserting maritime rights over disputed South China Sea areas.

China’s protest came shortly after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr signed the Maritime Zones Act and the Archipelagic Sea Lanes Act into law to strengthen the Philippines’ maritime claims.

However, Marcos said on November 11 that China’s opposition was “not unexpected”. He affirmed, “We have to define closely… we’re saying a lot that we have to protect our sovereignty and sovereign rights.”

While Filipino fisherfolk like Lepalam struggle to maintain their livelihoods, they continue to face harassment in waters the Philippines has long considered its own.

With new maritime laws in place, the challenge now lies in enforcing these protections and ensuring a secure environment for Filipino fishers in the West Philippine Sea.

Photo credit: Filipino boat captain Arnel Lepalam. Chinese Coast Guard personnel attempting to drive away Lepalam’s boat in the West Philippine Sea.